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in response to Poor does not mean stupid...First of all i would pray heavily about it and ask others to pray for you as well. I will definitely keep you in my prayers. It took me 20 years to wait on my answer to leave and it finally came. Yes i have plenty of patience. But the stress almost killed me. I wish you the best in whatever you decide to do. Take care and God Bless.

in response to Starshine...Glad to hear from you. Always makes my day or night. I am claiming healing for your leg so come wednesday i pray for good news. Thanks for reading my ads. I heading for the bed to call it a morning.lol Take care and God Bless.

These are tough times for many people in this wonderful country in which we are blessed to live. Even though some of you may be navigating fairly well through the labyrinth of financial and personal issues, others find themselves in a mighty battle for peace of mind and hope for the future. For many of these people, the struggle is intensified by added presence of depression which can make it difficult to see their way past emotional turmoil and experience the light of day once again. Like a black hole into outer space that sucks in all of the light around it, depression is a black hole in your inner space--a strong pschological force that causes a form of darkness.

According to mental health experts, depression is characterized by having five or more of the following symptoms nearly ever day:

1. depressed mood most of the day as indicated by a subjective report or an observation made by others.

2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or most daily activities most of the day.

3. Significant weight changes or decrease or increase in appetite.

4. Insomnia or hypersomina.

5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation.

6. Fatique or loss of energy.

7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inapropriate guilt.

8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate or indecisiveness.

9. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan of comitting suicide.

If you find yourself clearly identifying with at least five of these symptoms, please make an appointment with your doctor or therapist today. With proper diagnosis and treatment, depression can be managed and conquered. So if you believe that depression is robbing your world of joy, reach out for professional help and begin enjoying the light again.

Wishing you Great Health,

Dr. John H. Sklare, Ed.D

MY PERSONAL COMMENT:

I chose this article because this also relates to me personally. I live in this thing called the black hole. This is exactly how i described how i felt to my doctor's 8 years ago. Although I am being treated, i still have difficulties. I am slowly but surely beginning to see the light. But as soon as some type of tragedy occurs i go back into that black hole. When i lost my brother in November it took me back into it and i am slowly trying to crawl out of it with the help of professionals and definitely with the help of God. I hope this article can reach at least one person that feels they are alone when they may experience the above symptoms. I want them to know that they are not and that help is out there. I pray each day that one day i will get my joy and happiness back.

Today I would like to address one of the most important intangible elements that must exist in any healthy relationship. This is not something you can buy, borrow or steal because this basic necessity can only be earned. What is this thing that bonds couples together and helps to create a healthy relationship between two committed people? In a word, it's trust! By definition, trust is "a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity and reliabilty of another person." We all are familiar with the warmth and safety trust can provide; however, we also know the intense emotional pain and agony of having experienced trust broken.

Since trust is a basic necessity in a healthy relationship, I find it rather curious that the word
"us" sits comfortably in the midst of the word trust. The truth is that there can be no us if there is no trust because trust is one of the critical bonds that connect and endear two people to one another. So with this as our foundation today, I'd like you to think about two questions today regarding trust: Who do you trust the most? And are YOU trustworthy? I trust you will find these two questions a bit challenging, insightful and enlightening.

At some time every one of us will experience painful circumstances of one kind or another. The important issue is not what happens to us, but how we respond to what happens. Painful experinces can make us bitter or better. The choice is up to each one of us. To do this requires the following steps on our part:

1. Quit playing the blame-game.

One lady I was working with in a group setting complained bitterly saying, "I can't understand why God gave me such a terrible husband." "Who chose him?" I asked. "God did", she replied. She had deceived herself into believing that fantasy. God will guide us if we geniunely seek his direction, but he won't make our decisions for us. As adults we are totally responsible for every decision and choice we make. As long as we play the blame-game, we can never get on with our life. We stay stuck where we are and can do so for years.

2. Overcome denial.

Fred(not his real name), has been divorced for close to twenty years. His former wife remarried soon after their divorce. But Fred is still living in the delusion that his former wife will return to him. He is refusing to let go of the past, and is stuck there. Denial is deadly if we ever hope to fully live and fully love.

3. Forgive to be free.

No matter how badly we feel we have been hurt, failing to forgive keeps us bound by the past as we are unconsciously allowing bitter memoires of past hurts to control over present life. As another has said, "Failing to forgive is like drinking posion and waiting for the other person to die". Resolve supercharged negative emotions, it is impossible to forgive.

Denying, suppressing, and/or repressing supercharged negative emotions is also destruction of physical, emotional, and spiritual health. No wonder God's Word advises: So get rid of your feelings of hatred(Unresolved anger). Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with dishonesty...deception, envy and fraud". Stuffing negative emotions is not getting rid of them."

As we follow these steps for letting go, we are freed to forget what lies behind and move onward and upward to achieve our God-given goals and life purpose.

SUGGESTED PRAYER

"Dear God,

Thank you for your Word with practical advice for healthy relationships and meaningful living. Help me to take responsibility for my responses to all situations, never play the blame-game, be free from denial and forgive everyone who has ever hurt me so that I can let go and put behind me all hurts and failures from the past and press on toward the goal for the Prize upward call of God in Christ Jesus'. Thank you for hearing and aswering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, AMEN."

My Personal Comments: I chose this particular article because I could relate to it and i got positive feedback from it that helps me to move forward and to stop thinking that my ex will someday return to me. Really and truly he is not worthy of me. So I thank God for given me the wisdom in knowing that i am worthy and deserve better in a mate.

If you have fibromyalgia, you know that life is 10 times harder. The complex chronic pain disorder affects every part of your day. So how can you cope? It's bad enough that you have fibromyalgia, a painful, puzzling disorder what's worse is that every symptom-- from brain fog to pain, fatique and depression-- hurts not only yourself but also your relationships, work life and physical, emotional and mental health. There's no cure, which means you just have to learn to live with fibromyalgia and take steps to ease its symptoms.

1. Start exercising.

Working out is great for everyone, but it can expecially help fibromyalgia suffers, who often feel stiffness (especially after waking in the morning) and restless leg syndrome. Exercising regularly-- whatever you can manage on a routine basis---can boost mood, ease pain, improve sleep, reduce fatique, improve circulation and strengthen your heart. Among recommended activities for fibromyalgia patients: stretching, walking, yoga, cycling, swimming, water aerobics and strength training.

2. Try various therapies.

Fibromyalgia patients suffer pain more intensely than other people do. They may feel it all over their body or in multiple tender points. Water therapy, light aerobics, application of heat or cold, accupuncture, and osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation have helped fibromyalgia patients, say the experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association. So has physical therapy.

1. Pleasant words area honeycomb sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. 1

It never ceases to amaze me that so many people don't bother to say thank you to the many people who help them. I often hold the door open for someone who is following me into a store, the Post Office, or the bank, some of whom walk through without saying a word. Whenever I see our mailman, I always thank him and let him know how much I appreciate his service. I do this to lots of people.

And do we often say thank you and give a word of encouragement to our spouse, our children, our friends, our employer, and to our employees? If we all do this on a daily basis, we can make an impact on the world in which we live. Whether it is a kind word or a kind deed, in the words of Charles Dudley Warner, "It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself".

In the Bible a man named Joseph was given the name of Barnabas because it means, "Son of Encouragement". Let's all be a Barnabas to someone today.

Suggested Prayer:

"Dear God,

Please help me to be a Barnabas in some way today (and everyday) to every life I touch. May I also be know as a son or daughter of encouragement. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, AMEN".

When we make mistakes, which we all do from time to time, it's encouraging to know that we still have a choice to put things right and to make sure we deal with and resolve the root cause of our mistakes so we don't keep repeating the same mistakes and making bad choices.

More important is that we don't make bad choices in the first place because it is "choice, not chance, that determines our destiny." All of us are where we are today based on the choices we have made or will make today and in the future.

Above all, when it comes to eternity--life after death---as the Bible urges, choose carefully and wisely whom you will serve. Be absolutely sure you have your "passport for heaven". Whatever you do, don't leave earth without it.

Suggest Prayer:

"Dear God, thank you that we have a choice about life after death and that you have provided the way of salvation by giving your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins. Please help me to know with certainty that my sins are forgiven and that I have my 'passport for heaven'. Thank you for hearing and aswering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, AMEN".

My personal comment:

When i read this my immediate feelings is "Thank God for America" because all country's don't have the freedom of choice like we do and alot of times we take that for granted when in reality it is a huge blessing.

I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the person who sent this to me, but for me and all that I have forwarded this message to. And the power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in you is more powerful than anything! I thank you in advance for your blessings. God deliver the person reading this right now from debt and debt burdens. Release your Godly wisdom that I may be a good Steward over all that you have given me God, for I know how wonderful and mighty you are and how if we just obey you and walk in your word and have the faith of a mustard seed that you will pour out blessings.

I thank you now Lord for the recent blessings I have recieved and for the blessings yet to come, because I know you are not done with me yet.

Wherever I am hurt and feel unjustly criticized, pleasehelp me always to deal with my emotions in a creative way, never lash out and hurt back, and always be 'as Jesus' to the ones who lashed out at me. And when the criticism is justified, please help me to accept it graciously and make changes wherever such is needed. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, AMEN."

I am at my parents home. I got here last night. They are happy to have me here which makes me feel good. But of course with my condition it is hard for me to sleep. But I am beginning to get sleepy. The weather was glorious here today. Hope all is well with you too. Love you, God Bless and sweet dreams

According to an article in an English magazine,"A true friend is one who has the courage to disagree with us when (we are) in the wrong, and advise us for our own good, rather then let his sympathy or sentimentality cause him to agree."

Charles Spurgeon once said, "Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneathe the bitterness of their trail and not found a friend".

Dr. Alfred Adler, internationally known psychiatrist, based the following conclusions on a careful analysis of thousand of client: "The most important task imposedby religion has always been 'Love thy neighbor'. It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow man that has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury on others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring."

It may not be the most desirable, but it is true that we can live without romantic love, but we cannot live healthy without at least one loving friend.

As Dinah Craik so eloquently said, "Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."

And, oh, the priceless value of having at least one such deep abiding friendship, Thank God for the gift of friendship.

Suggested Prayer:

"Dear God,
Please help me to be a loving friend and be a friend to fellow sinners as you are a loving friend to me. And help me to find at least one loving friend with when I can be totally open and honest without fear of judgement or rejection. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' Name, Amen."

While losing someone you love is always painful, losing someone in tragic or unexpected circumstances may leave you feeling confused and afraid; unable to complete even the simplest to tasks. You may wonder if you will find the strength to face the future, or if you will ever know happiness again. While there is no easy way around the grief and shock most people experience after a sudden loss, there are things you can do to make it through those first difficult days and weeks.

Step 1

Find a close friend or relative to stay with you. Ask this person to help you make decisions, handle well-wishers, coordinate meals and offer emotional support. If you can, choose a person with enough distance from the situation to focus on your needs.

Step 2

Take care of your health. Get plenty of sleep, eat right and exercise. You will need your strength to get through this difficult time.

Step 3

Accept help from friends, relatives and neighbors. Dealing with the sudden death of a loved one may make routine chores and activities feel overwhelming. If a friend offers to do your grocery shopping or pick up your dry cleaning, let her do it.

Step 4

Give yourself permission to experience your feelings. Whether you feel angry or sad, scared or confused, it is OK. There is no such thing as a 'normal' reaction to a sudden loss.

Step 5

Draw on memoirs of past difficulties, says social worker and grief specialist Megan Meade-Higgins. Think of life events that you found painful or overwhelming, and remind yourself that you do have the strength to make it through tough times.

Step 6

Educate yourself about how your loved one died. If your loved one died in a particularly violent way, your imagination may only make the situation worse. Learning the facts surrounding the event or accident may actually ease your mind and give you a sense of peace.

Step 7

Say goodbye to your loved one. When someone dies suddenly, people rarely get the chance to say goodbye. Create a private ritual or ceremony, and give yourself permission to say whatever you need to say to the deceased.

Step 8

Find a support group for people dealing with a similar loss. According to the Nigeria Grief Center, the right support group can provide you with a safe place to share your thoughts and feelings with people who understand.

Step 9

Pamper Yourself. Get a massage, eat a nice meal, take a hot bath or spend the afternoon in bed. Do what you can to ease your stress and tension.

Step 10

Consult a Doctor or Therapist if you need help coping with your loss. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help you cope with common grief-related issues, like anxiety and loss of sleep.

Step 11

Give yourself time to grieve. It may take weeks, months or even years before you come to terms with your loved one's death.

Tips and Warnings:

Postpone making any major decisions or life changes after a sudden loss. Radical changes may leave you feeling confused and unsettled. Give yourself plenty of time to grieve. Sudden death may attract media attention. Even if you choose not to speak to reporters, you may want to provide a copy of a favorite photo ensure your loved one is remembered in a positive light.

Avoid drinking alcohol or taking drugs after a sudden loss. You may want relief from your feelings but alcohol and drugs may exacerbate feeling of anxiety and depression. This article is intended as a general guide only and should not replace the advice of a doctor or qualified mental health professional.

My Comments:

Of course I chose to share this article because of my recent sudden loss. It helps. Hopefully it will help others.

This was sent to me during Christian Women Week which is from 3/6-13/11 but i am still sharing it with all the women on here today because we need these words everyday!!! This really touched on me and helped me.

1. 'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her'

2. When I say that 'I am a Christian; I am not shouting that 'I am clean living'. I'm whispering 'I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven'.

3. When I say 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

4. When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

5. When I say "I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

6. When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes i am worth it.

7. When I say 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

8. When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good Grace, by somehow!

9. Today is Beautiful Christian Woman's Day. Pretty is as Pretty does but Beautiful is just plain Beautiful....

10. If you share this with other women, you will boost another women's self-esteem, and she will know you care about her!

in response to susie's son...Thank you so very much for the love and adding me to your prayer list. I need lots of it. I know that the power of prayer is strong enough to get you through trials because i am a living witness. So yes please keep me in your prayers as i will for you as well. God Bless you richly and abundantly in all the areas of your life.